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This is a big week for “The X Factor” as season 2 premieres with two hot new judges, Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. B96’s Showbiz Shelly is reporting live from the FOX Fall junket in LA, and she had a chance to sit down with Britney and Simon Cowell to chat about how is season 2 different from last season, why Britney has always been Simon’s number one choice for a judge, and how the two of them were introduced.

Simon is very candid about working with Britney. When asked about how this season is different, he responded, “Well, we have 2 new judges; Bratney, Britney. They’ve made a huge difference. I love working with them. They’re very good judges.”

You can expect to see a whole new look for the show too. “When you see the first episode, it looks different than any show we’ve made before. We’re taking the camera even further backstage and you see what the contestants are really, really like when they come for these audtions, and some of them are really idiots,” Simon shared.

You may not have known this, but Britney joining the show has been the number one goal from the beginning. Simon admitted, “I’ve wanted her for years. We used to have a list.” Brit chimed in saying, “You’re so sweet. That’s flattering.”

Simon continued, “We always said who would be our number one judge on ‘The X Factor,’ and we always had Britney Spears on the top. I never thought she’d do the show.”

So, how did Britney join the judging panel? Simon explained, “Luckily, Britney was working with the same makeup artist I work with a year ago when Britney was touring. They had a conversation, and then my makeup artist called me and said I think you should call Britney’s manager because she could be interested on doing X Factor. I’m like, ‘Yeah right.'”

His first encounter with Brit wasn’t what he expected. “We arranged a call. She was very charming and sweet. And humble, and I wasn’t expecting that. Then by the third call we pretty much sealed the deal,” Simon revealed.

On the flip-side, what made Britney want to join the show? Britney said, “I heard of the show plenty of times, and my makeup artist was talking about it all the time, about how much fun they had, and it seemed really appealing and interesting to me to do something like that, something I’d never done before.” So, everyone can expect to see a side of Britney the public has never been exposed to. Simon warned, “OMG, you’re going to see her in a different light!”

Flashback to when Britney was a young up-and-comer. She admitted that she would have tried out for a show like this. “Yes, definitely, oh definitely. I would have been one of the kids.”

Simon, teasing Brit, said, “There is actually kind of a brand new Britney, maybe we found on the show, you know, the girl we found with the hair? The 13 year old.” Brit interjected, “Annie, that’s not me! I hate you! That’s so rude!”

These two seem to get really annoyed with each other, which will add some entertaining moments to the new season. There will also be two hosts this time around because according to Simon, “There’s too much talking for one person.” We’ll find out who the hosts are this week during the two-night premiere Wednesday and Thursday night on FOX at 8/7C.